Numerous situations exist in the greenhouse and nursery industry where small plantlets or early stage germinants must be planted into plug containers when coming from a bare-root or unpotted condition. All currently existing growing systems involve planting this material, or true seed, directly into pre-filled containers. The substrate in such containers may contain dibble holes (pre-formed planting holes) to accept plant material with less injury. Unrooted cuttings, for example, are typically stuck directly into containerized substrate for rooting purposes. A wide variety of containers exists for these purposes, of different sizes, density, growing medium, etc. In cases where pre-rooted plantlets must be planted into these container systems, the existence of the root poses problems at the point of inserting the plantlet into the substrate, even if a dibble hole exists. Excessive root damage or root bending may occur, even with the careful use of hand-planting tools, possibly creating transplant shock and a reduction in growth. In addition, hand planting material in this fashion can be very time consuming and costly. There therefore exists a need for automated equipment capable of quickly effecting the placement of plantlets into plug containers without damage to the plantlets, and in particular without damage to the delicate root systems thereof.